Hand truck



Aug. 19, 1952 -w. M. WILLITTS HAND TRUCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 1' INVENTORmMW/LL/TTS A T TORNEV Filed Dec. 6, 1950 Aug. 19, 1952 v w. M. WILLITTS2,607,502

HAND TRUCK Filed Dec. 6, 1950 a Sheets-Sheet s //v VENTOR WtMW/LL/TT5 BYb A T TORNEV This invention: relatesa ing large and heavy articlesactuating handle; I Fig. 4'is a fragmentary'top'plan view of thePatented Aug. 19, 1952 J H nD 'rnuoK William M. Willitts,.LawrenceHarbor, N. J assignor to Western. Electric Company, Incorpot rated, 1New York. 4 N. Y

- ',.a corporation of New j Applicajt nDecernber 6, 1950. Serial'No199,461

to "hand trucks and more particularly to hand trucks fortransportand'depositing them at desired locations. 1 a The commerciallyknown hand'trucksusually aid of which they maybe-propelled, connected tothe supporting. unit of the truck, makingfiit impossible orexceedinglydifficult-for the truck to support articles of considerable length. .1Furthermore, it .Would be difiicult to transport such articles on trucksof the standardstructurehor unload-the articles therefrom. y l

An :object of this invention is to provide a hand truck which issimplein structure yet f w'ciariim. (c1. mai -e53) Referring now to thedrawings, the truck includes a main frame 10 which is an'open structuresupporting a seriesof rollers Il-,thsenear the-rear of the frame beingdisposed closely adhave relatively short straight handles, -by..the

" -jacent each other as illustrated in' Fi'gs. 2 and while those at thef0rward;half of theframe are disposed farther apart.-'{Ihe purpose inthe spacing of the rollers in this manneri's essential in'providing the'desired'support for the trailing highly efficient in transportingandidepositing .articles which are considerably longer than the Isupporting unit of the; truck. f

I With this and other objects in .view,: the 'hand truck includes a loadsupporting frame-mounted for transportatiomupon a series ofwheels', oneofiwhichmay'be pivoted, andtan angular handle connected to the frame andhaving. a portion .of

considerable length in alignment with the. frame .when in its supportingposition, so that anarticle =supported by the frame metyextendlover thisportion 2 of the handle. 'Morespecifically, .the

frame includes a series of rollers uponwhich the article rests tofacilitate inthe loadingof an article on the'truck and the depositingofthe Furthermore, the

article at a givenposition. handle carries clamps for clamping thearticle against displacement while in transportation and a convenienthandle to actuate a brake operatinga mechanism to apply 'afbraking forceto the main supporting wheels of the load supporting frame while theframe is tilted in unloading the article.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdetailed description when v considered in conjunction with theaccompanyin'g drawings-wherein: Y Fig. 1-is a side elevational view ofthe hand truck with an article-loadedthereon;- V I I Fig. 2' illustratesthe positionbf the hand truck while unloading the articlej -Fig. 3 isanenlarged-fragmentary sectional view of a portion ;of thehandle,illustrating the article gripping means together with the brakesupporting frame;

. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the brake handle; and n Fig. 6illustrates the brake operating mechanism for the main wheels oftheftruck.

end of the article during 'unloadingotthe 'article as illustratedi-nFig. 2. The rearmostend [4 of the frame is angular and supports a pairof rollers l5 which assist in guiding-" the-truck beneath an articlewhile being loaded'or ii-ring the unloading operation." 1 P r The frameI 0 with its rollers "l l *anddi is "sup- 'ported mainly by apairoil-"wheels l6- inou'n'ted onaligned shafts I! in theirsupporting-brackets IS, the brackets being fixed to theunderside of theframe. Another wheel- 20 of the swinging type', pivoted at 2| to theforward part of the frame, permits easy turning of the hand truck whiletransportingan article 22,-such as a-large crate,from one position toanother. 4 I

An L-shaped hollow handle 24 has its horizontalportion (Fig. 1)pivotally connected at 25to the forward portion of the frame [0 andsupported by a wheel '26 of the pivoted typeconnected at 21' near thebend in the handle.- The vertical portion of the handle carries clamps'tfi normally urged inwardly toward each other'b'y' a spring 3| extendingthrough tubes 32 which support the clamps-3ll as shown in Fig? 3-.Alarg'er *tub'e 33 is mounted at right angles at the upper crate iscentrally positioned'onthe' truck! 1 endof the l -sha'ped handle '24 andserves as a housing for thetubes 32 and the spring- 3L- The clamps 30may be moved outwardly by their individual handles 33, their tubes'32sliding in the main or larger tube 33 against the force of the spring3l,until the associated clamps engage the forward portion of the crate orarticle 22' as illustrated in' Fig. 1. When inthis position, theinwardly extending portions 34 of the clamps will extend around adjacentboards-35' ofthe "crate, looking it on the hand truck with equal forcefrom the single spring whether or -not 'the 'Ihe brakemechanismincludesbrake'sh o 38 (Figidljhaving' their upper endspositioned 'between the legs of the brackets su ppoifting' theirrespective wheels 16' and pivoted at 39; -'l ?he-lower ends of the brakeshoes are connected to a rod 40. the central "portion of which isconnectedthrough a link 4! to the lower end of a bell crank lever 42.The bell crank lever is pivotally supported by the frame and'has itsupper end or

